University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


BANCROFT 


OF 
THE 


Socialist 
Party 

of 

COLORADO 


by  ^Referendum  ^Dote  in 
September,  1909 


In  Effect  from  MOV.  1,  19O9 


Price,  2Oc  Per  Copy 


E-ame?-;    i  Timers,  1748  St<     • 

^ 


CONSTITUTION 


ARTICLE  I. 
Name  and  Purpose. 

Section  1.     The  name  of  this  organization 

shall  be  the  Socialist  Party  of  Colorado.     It 

shall  toe    an   integral   part  of   the    Socialist 

Party  of  the  United  States,   affiliated   with 

the  Socialist  Movement  of  the  world. 

>       Sec.   2.     The   purpose   is   to   develop   and 

,  maintain   a   political   party,  upon  the  basis 

of    the    working-class    interest,    through    or- 

1  ganization,    education    and    the    use    of   the 

•ballot;   to  obtain  the  powers  of  government 

,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  an  industrial 

!  democracy     and     a     co-operative     common- 

,  wealth. 

ARTICLE  II. 
Headquarters. 

Section  1.  The  State  headquarters  of  the 
Party  shall  be  in  Denver,  unless  changed 
by  the  State  Committee,  subject  to  member- 
ship referendum. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Principles,  Policy  and  Tactics. 
Section  1.  The  National  and  State  consti- 
tutions and  platforms  shall  be  the  supreme 
law  of  the  Party  organization;  and  all 
minor  platforms  and  by-laws  must  conform 
thereto. 

Sec.  2.  The  platforms  adopted  by  any 
minor  political  organization  must  be  submit- 
ted to  the  Executive  Committee,  and  any  ob- 
jectionable part  stricken  out  before  it  is 
published. 

ARTICLE   IV. 

Organization,     Management    and     Authority. 

Section  1.    The  units  of  organization  shall 

be:     (1)  Members  at  Large,  (2)  Locals,  (3) 

Branches,    (4)    Executive    committees,     (5) 

1 


Central  committees,  (6)  Political  commit- 
tees, (7)  State  officials,  (8)  and  the  several 
committees  from  Precincts,  Wards,  Towns, 
Cities,  Counties,  Districts  and  of  the  State. 
Sec.  2.  The  management  and  authority 
on  all  State  party  affairs  shall  be  vested  in 
the  ascending  scale  as  follows:  (1)  State 
Secretary,  (2)  Executive  Committee,  (3) 
State  Committee,  (4)  State  Convention,  and 
(5)  Membership  vote. 

ARTICLE   V. 

Initiative,   Referendum  and   Imperative   Man- 
date. 

Section  1.  The  supreme  authority  in  this 
party  on  all  questions  is  the  vote  of  the 
membership.  All  party  officials,  committees, 
delegates  and  political  officers  are  the 
agents  of  the  membership  and  subject  to 
the  supervision,  reversion,  instructions  and 
recall  of  the  membership  they  serve,  re- 
gardless of  what  authority  may  be  legally 
vested  in  them. 

Sec.  2.  Any  referendum  to  the  party 
membership  shall  be  submitted  through  the 
State  Secretary,  upon  a  motion  of  10  per 
cent,  of  the  organizations  in  good  standing; 
or  by  a  smaller  number  of  organizations 
having  a  membership  of  at  least  10  per  cent, 
of  the  State.  But  in  no  case  must  there  be 
less  than  three  organizations  in  three  dif- 
ferent counties. 

Sec.  3.  The  Executive  Committee  or  the 
State  Committee  may  upon  a  majority  vote 
of  their  own  submit  any  question  to  a  party 
referendum.  But  on  an  appeal  the  Executive 
Committee  can  by  a  40  per  cent,  vote,  and 
the  State  Committee  by  a  20  per  cent,  vote, 
submit  the  question.  An  appeal  by  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  shall  always  first  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  State  Committee;  but  an  orig- 
inal question  may  be  submitted  direct  to 
the  membership. 

2 


Sec.  4.  Every  referendum  must  state 
each  question  plainly,  so  that  each  can  be 
voted  upon  separately,  without  involving 
any  other  part.  A  referendum  may  carry 
with  it  an  explanation  as  to  meaning,  but 
one  with  an  advocacy  of  or  against  some- 
thing it  proposes  to  change  shall  not  be  sub- 
mitted. 

Sec.  5.  When  a  referendum  vote  of  the 
State  membership  is  to  be  taken,  the  Secre- 
tary shall  mail  to  the  financial  secretary  of 
each  Branch,  a  number  of  ballots,  equal  to 
the  number  of  members  in  good  standing 
and  special  ballots  upon  which  returns  can 
be  made. 

Sec.  6.  The  Secretary  can  have  printed 
on  the  individual  ballots  instructions  as  to 
when  it  must  be  voted  and  to  whom  re- 
turned; also  instructions  as  to  when  the 
canvassed  vote  must  be  in  the  State  office. 

Sec.  7.  When  a  motion  for  a  referendum 
has  been  properly  made  and  supported,  the 
Secretary  shall  submit  it  within  ten  days. 
If  the  Secretary  neglects  to  do  so  the  mover 
may  through  his  organization  submit  the 
question  direct,  with  an  explanation. 

Sec.  8.  When  a  motion  is  made  for  a 
referendum  and  not  acocmpanied  by  suffi- 
cient seconds,  it  shall  'be  kept  open  for  that 
purpose  for  30  days. 

Sec.  9.  If  the  referendum  is  an  amend- 
ment to  the  constitution,  or  to  amend  or  es- 
tablish some  permanent  rule  for  the  Party, 
it  shall  be  submitted  in  regular  printed  or 
type-written  ballots  and  kept  open  for 
amendments  for  30  days.  Then  all  properly 
proposed  amendments  shall  be  printed  and 
submitted,  in  addition  to  the  original  ballot. 

Sec.  10.  An  amendment  to  any  referendum 
that  is  open  for  amendment,  must  state 
precisely  what  part  of  the  original  it  pro- 
poses to  change  and  just  how  that  particular 
part  will  read. 

8 


Sec.  11.  To  retain  the  right  of  an  appeal 
by  referendum  the  motion  must  be  made 
within  30  days  from  the  time  of  the  act  or 
the  decision. 

Sec.  12.  The  financial  secretary  must 
either  mail  a  ballot  on  every  referendum  to 
every  member  in  good  standing  or  else  send 
a  notice  by  mail  to  each  member,  as  to 
when  the  ballots  will  be  distributed  at  some 
meeting  of  the  organization.  Special  meet- 
ings for  this  purpose  can  be  called  by  the 
Branch  executive  committee. 

Sec.  13.  On  State  Party  membership  ref- 
erendums  30  days  shall  be  allowed,  and  five 
days  more  to  be  canvassed  and  returns  made 
to  reach  the  State  office.  On  referendum 
submitted  to  the  State  Committee,  the  vote 
shall  close  within  15  days,  and  to  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  it  shall  close  within  10 
days. 

Sec.  14.  The  result  of  each  referendum 
shall  be  published  by  the  Secretary  to  show 
the  vote  of  each  organization. 

Sec.  15.  A  question  submitted  by  a  Party 
member  to  the  Executive  Committee  or  to 
the  State  Committee,  must  be  seconded  by 
another  member  from  another  county;  but 
an  initiative  or  appeal  to  either  of  these 
committees  by  an  organization  duly  certified 
to  by  a  chairman  and  the  recording  secre- 
tary is  sufficient. 

Sec.  16.  A  city,  a  county  or  a  larger  po- 
litical division,  may  initiate  and  submit  a 
referendum  in  the  same  manner  as  the  State 
does.  In  districts  where  there  are  not  over 
five  organizations  one  may  initiate,  but  if 
there  are  more  it  will  require  one  organiza- 
tion to  second  before  it  will  be  submitted. 
In  counties  it  should  be  submitted  through 
the  regular  county  secretary;  in  larger  dis- 
tricts, through  any  one  of  the  county  secre- 
taries, unless  one  for  the  district  has  been 
designated. 


Sec.  17.  Unless  otherwise  provided  in 
our  constitution  it  shall  require  a  majority 
vote  to  decide  on  any  referendum.  In  case 
another  vote  is  necessary,  the  two  questions 
or  two  persons  having  received  the  largest 
vote  shall  be  the  ones  on  the  next  ballot. 

Sec.  18.  A  member  must  belong  to  the 
organization  and  be  in  good  standing,  and 
must  have  been  in  good  standing  for  the 
previous  month  in  order  to  be  entitled  to 
vote  on  any  political  or  party  question. 

Sec.  19.  No  member  of  a  suspended  or- 
ganization shall  vote,  except  by  sending  his 
vote  and  membership  card  to  the  State  of- 
fice. 

Sec.  20.  By  proof  of  his  good  standing,  by 
membership  card,  any  member  of  a  Branch 
or  at  Large  may  vote  on  any  question  that 
covers  the  district  in  which  he  lives.  And 
when  such  a  vote  is  received  the  finan- 
cial secretary  must  report  the  name  and 
residence  of  the  voter,  when  the  returns  are 
made  to  the  State  office. 

Sec.  21.  A  referendum  vote  on  all  ques- 
tions shall  be  by  secret  ballot.  The  finan- 
cial secretary  shall  deliver  to  each  voter  a 
ballot  and  an  envelope.  The  voter  shall 
write  his  or  her  name  and  correct  mail  ad- 
dress or  residence  on  the  envelope  and  en- 
close the  ballot  sealed  therein. 

Sec.  22.  The  Local  or  Branch  canvassing 
board  shall  be  the  financial  secretary  and 
two  members  selected  by  the  organization, 
when  possible  to  do  so.  The  returns  must 
be  signed  in  ink,  by  the  financial  secretary 
and  at  least  one  of  the  other  members.  Any 
party  member  can  be  present  when  the 
votes  are  counted. 

Sec.  23.  The  envelopes  containing  the 
ballots  shall  be  opened  only  by  the  canvass- 
ing board,  by  turning  them  over  face  down 
and  extracting  the  votes  in  such  a  manner 
5 


as  not  to  be  able  to  know  what  ballot  was 
in  any  particular  envelope. 

Sec.  24.  Before  any  votes  are  counted  the 
financial  secretary  must  satisfy  the  can- 
vassing board  by  his  records  and  accounts 
that  all  who  voted  were  in  good  standing. 

Sec.  25.  An  abstract  of  the  votes  cast 
and  the  envelopes  used  must  be  sent  to  the 
State  office,  marked  "Abstract  of  Votes." 
No  other  communications  shall  be  put  in 
the  envelope  containing  the  certified  ab- 
stract, as  it  will  not  be  opened  until  the 
State  canvassing  board  meets. 

Sec.  26.  No  votes  shall  be  counted  by  the 
State  canvassing  board  unless  the  returns 
are  made  exactly  in  the  manner  herein  pre- 
scribed. 

Sec.  27.  In  cities  and  counties  where  a 
central  organization  has  been  adopted,  the 
returns  shall  be  sent  to  the  secretary  of 
the  central  committee  and  an  exact  dupli- 
cate sent  with  the  envelopes  to  the  State 
office. 

Sec.  28.  The  ballots  shall  be  kept  in  the 
hands  of  the  secretary  of  the  organization 
and  the  envelopes  shall  be  kept  in  the  State 
office  one  year. 

Sec.  29.  The  central  committee  shall  can- 
vass and  tabulate  the  vote  of  the  several 
Branches  and  make  returns  of  same  showing 
the  vote  of  each  Branch  separately. 

Sec.  30.  The  State  canvassing  board 
shall  be  composed  of  the  Secretary,  at  least 
one  member  of  the  Executive  Committee 
and  two  party  members  selected  by  some 
organization  where  the  vote  is  counted.  The 
Secretary  and  two  others  shall  be  necessary 
to  canvass  the  returns. 

The  Secretary  or  Executive  Committee 
member  may  appoint  substitutes  for  them- 
selves. 

6 


ARTICLE  VI. 
Membership — Qualifications. 

Section  1.  Any  person  18  years  old,  resi- 
dent of  Colorado,  regardless  of  sex,  race, 
color  or  creed,  who  signs  the  regular  appli- 
cation as  provided  by  the  National  Socialist 
Party,  and  pays  25c  dues  for  the  month  ad- 
mitted, may  'become  a  member. 

The  application  must  be  signed  by  a  mem- 
ber in  good  standing,  and  a  majority  vote 
olr  the  membership  will  admit  the  applicant. 

Sec.  2.  Any  member  of  the  party  in  any 
state,  may  transfer  to  any  Branch,  Local  or 
to  Membership  at  Large,  in  this  State,  by 
signing  an  application  and  presenting  his 
or  her  membership  card,  showing  good 
standing  until  the  first  of  the  month  in 
which  application  to  transfer  is  made. 

Sec.  3.  When  an  application  is  made  with 
a  membership  card,  and  the  applicant  has 
no  transfer  card,  the  financial  secretary  of 
the  organization  shall  notify  the  secretary 
of  the  former  Branch  or  Local  of  this  trans- 
fer. If  the  applicant  is  not  in  good  stand- 
ing the  necessary  dues  must  be  sent  to  the 
former  organization  before  he  can  be  ad- 
mitted to  membership. 

Sec.  4.  Members  of  Branches  or  Locals 
must  be  residents  of  the  territory  covered 
by  the  organization,  or  reside  in  an  unor- 
ganized part  of  the  county.  He  must  live 
within  the  county  or  become  a  Member  at 
Large. 

Sec.  5.  All  members  shall  pay  dues  for 
the  month  in  which  they  are  admitted,  re- 
gardless of  the  date. 

Sec.  6.  Each  member  shall  receive  a 
membership  card,  on  which  shall  be  affixed 
dues  stamps  for  the  amount  paid.  This  will 
be  recognized  as  a  receipt. 

Sec.  7.  Dues  may  be  paid  for  any  num- 
ber of  months  in  advance.  Any  member  in 
7 


arrears  for  three  months  shall  be  marked 
''suspended"  on  his  account,  by  the  finan- 
cial secretary,  on  the  first  of  the  following 
month. 

Sec.  8.  Suspended  members  shall  not  have 
voice  nor  vote  on  any  party  matters,  and 
when  six  months  in  arrears  shall  be  marked 
"dropped"  from  membership,  by  the  finan- 
cial secretary,  on  the  first  of  the  seventh 
month. 

Sec.  9.  A  suspended  member  may  be  re- 
instated upon  payment  of  back  dues  to  date; 
but  a  dropped  member  can  come  in  only  as 
a  new  member,  and  membership  cannot 
count  back  of  that  time. 

Sec.  10.  Any  member  unable  to  pay  dues 
can  be  kept  in  good  standing  by  applying  to 
the  organization,  which  can  instruct  the 
financial  secretary  to  affix  dues-stamps  on 
the  card,  unless  some  other  method  is 
adopted.  But  such  dues-stamps  shall  not  be 
given  for  more  than  three  months  in  arrear, 
nor  for  more  than  three  months  in  advance. 

Sec.  11.  Any  person  who  asserts  that  po- 
litical action  is  useless,  or  who  asserts  that 
political  candidates  or  the  use  of  ballots  is 
no  aid  in  the  emancipation  of  the  working 
class,  shall  not  be  admitted  to  membership. 

Sec.  12.  Any  person  holding  an  elective 
or  appointive  office,  either  honorary  or  re- 
munerative, by  or  under  the  control  of  any 
other  political  party,  shall  not  become  a 
member. 

Sec.  13.  A  political  party  is  any  number 
of  persons  that  present  a  candidate  by  any 
means,  at  any  election  provided  for  by  law, 
whether  it  is  recognized  as  a  party  election 
or  non-partisan.  It  includes  elections  for 
members  on  the  boards  of  education. 

Sec.   14.     An   official  position   shall  carry 
with  it  official  authority,  and  not  be  merely 
the  doing  of  some  professional,  clerical  or 
8 


manual  work,  as  a  wage  earner  under  some 
official. 

Sec.  15.  Positions  that  are  gained  under 
competitive  merit  or  civil  service  regula- 
tions, such  as  schoool  teachers  and  mail  car- 
riers'are  not  classed  as  official  political  po- 
sitions. Positions  that  the  Socialist  Party 
is  entitled  to  by  law  shall  not  be  classed 
as  official  positions. 

Sec.  16.  Upon  the  rejection  of  an  appli- 
cant for  membership,  an  expulsion  or  a  per- 
manent withdrawal  from  the  Party,  the  re- 
cording secretary  shall  immediately  notify 
the  State  Secretary,  who  shall  notify  the 
organizations  in  the  State.  If  such  person 
makes  an  application  to  some  other  organ- 
ization he  shall  not  be  admitted  until  after 
the  application  is  endorsed  by  the  organiza- 
tion where  the  rejection,  expulsion  or  with- 
drawal took  place. 

ARTICLE  VII. 
Members   at    Large   Organization. 

Section  1.  Any  person  residing  in  a  rural 
political  precinct,  an  incorporated  town  or 
city,  where  there  is  no  organized  Branch  or 
Local,  may  become  a  Member  at  Large  by 
applying  to  the  Executive  Committee, 
through  the  State  Secretary,  by  sending  a 
signed  application  and  not  less  than  one 
month's  dues,  which  is  25c. 

Sec.  2.  In  any  county  where  there  are 
ten  Members  at  Large  in  good  standing,  and 
no  organized  Local,  they  may  become  a 
Members  at  Large  organization,  by  electing 
a  member  of  the  State  Committee,  who  shall 
become  the  secretary  of  that  organization 
and  the  secretary  of  that  county. 

Sec.  3.  When  a  Local  is  organized  in  the 
county  and  is  recognized  by  the  State  or- 
ganization, the  Members  at  Large  organiza- 
tion shall  cease,  and  a  new  State  Commit- 
teeman  shall  be  elected. 


Sec.  4.  By  proof  of  good  standing  a 
Member  at  Large  may  vote  in  any  Branch 
or  Local  in  the  State,  on  any  party  refer- 
endum or  other  question  that  covers  the 
territory  he  claims  as  his  residence.  But  he 
shall  not  vote  on  anything  that  is  a  ques- 
tion of  the  Branch  or  Local  organization 
solely. 

Sec.  5.  Members  at  Large  are  eligible  to 
any  party  or  political  office  in  the  State, 
under  the  same  qualifications  as  members 
of  Branches  and  Locals. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 
Locals  and   Branches. 

Section  1.  Five  or  more  persons  may  or- 
ganize a  Local  or  Branch  in  any  city,  ward, 
incorporated  town  or  rural  political  precinct, 
where  there  is  no  such  organization  repre- 
senting the  same  language  or  color. 

Sec.  2.  The  appplication  for  charter  must 
be  sent  to  the  State  Secretary,  together  with 
15c  for  each  charter  member  for  first 
month's  dues,  and  not  less  than  50c  for  the 
necessary  supplies. 

Sec.  3.  A  Local  may  cover  either  a  rural 
political  precinct,  a  town,  a  city  or  a  whole 
county.  It  may  be  an  undivided  unit  or  it 
may  be  composed  of  several  Branches. 

Sec.  4.  In  cities,  towns  and  precincts 
where  there  is  a  postoffice,  the  Local  shall 
be  called  by  the  name  of  the  postoffice. 
But  where  there  is  no  postoffice  within  the 
territory  covered,  the  name  may  be  the 
number  or  name  of  the  precinct,  the  school 
district,  or  name  of  the  locality,  as  selected. 

Sec.  5.  An  organization  that  controls  only 
a  part,  in  territory,  language,  or  color,  of 
what  the  Local  controls  shall  be  called  a 
Branch. 

Sec.    6.     In   cities   all   Branches   shall   be 
known  and  recognized  by  the  name  or  num- 
ber of  a  ward,  with  language  or  color  added. 
10 


In  towns  or  precincts  only  language  and 
color  added  to  name  of  Local  is  needed. 

Sec.  7.  Each  Branch  and  Local  shall  have 
equal  jurisdicition  over  its  own  members, 
and  be  a  unit  of  government  and  discipline. 
Each  may  adopt  such  by-laws  and  rules  as 
it  deems  necessary,  if  they  do  not  conflict 
with  State  or  National  Party  rules  and  dis- 
cipline. 

Sec.  8.  The  officials  of  a  Branch  shall 
be  the  same  as  of  a  Local  and  shall  perform 
the  same  duties  and  be  under  the  same  dis- 
cipline of  their  organizations. 

Sec.  9.  The  permanent  officials  of  a 
Branch  or  Local  shall  be  a  financial  secre- 
tary, a  recording  secretary,  a  treasurer,  a 
literature  agent,  and  an  organizer.  One  per- 
son may  hold  any  two  of  these  positions, 
but  no  more.  A  chairman  shall  be  selected 
for  each  meeting. 

Sec.  10.  The  meetings  of  Locals  and 
Branches  shall  be  called  to  order  by  the 
members  of  the  executive  committee  in  the 
following  order  as  they  may  be  present: 
(1)  The  organizer,  (2)  the  financial  secre- 
tary, (3)  the  recording  secretary,  (4)  any 
party  member,  if  the  three  officials  are  ab- 
sent. 

Sec.  11.  Each  Branch  and  Local  should 
have  not  less  than  one  business  meeting 
each  month.  These  shall  be  held  in  the  ter- 
ritory covered  by  the  organization,  except 
by  agreement  with  the  organization  that. has 
the  territorial  jurisdiction. 

Sec.  12.  The  organizer  shall  arrange  for 
agitation  in  unorganized  territory,  solicit  ap- 
plications for  membership,  procure  watchers 
for  the  polls  and  assist  during  political  cam- 
paigns. 

Sec.  13.  The  recording  secretary  shall 
keep  a  correct  minute  record  of  all  proceed- 
ings and  transactions;  he  shall  read  these 
minutes  when  called  on;  he  shall  read  at 
11 


the  meetings  all  reports  and  communica- 
tions that  come  into  his  hands,  for  the  or- 
ganization, and  assist  the  financial  secre- 
tary with  his  work  at  the  meeting,  and  draw 
all  orders  on  the  treasurer. 

Sec.  14.  The  financial  secretary  shall 
keep  a  set  of  books  that  will  at  all  times 
show  the  standing  of  every  member;  shall 
issue  and  sign  all  the  membership  cards; 
shall  distribute  the  ballots  on  referendums 
and  sign  all  returns  of  a  vote,  with  some 
member  of  a  canvassing  board  and  return 
same  to  the  proper  authorities;  shall  see 
that  no  vote  is  counted  unless  cast  by  a 
member  in  good  standing;  shall  order  dues- 
stamps  and  supplies;  shall  read  on  the  first 
meeting  of  each  month  the  names  of  all 
members  suspended  or  dropped  from  the 
roll,  on  the  first  of  that  month;  also  those 
re-instated  the  previous  month;  shall  make 
a  regular  report  on  the  provided  form,  to 
the  State  office,  during  the  first  week  of 
each  month;  shall,  during  the  first  and  third 
quarters  of  each  year  report  to  the  State  of- 
fice the  names  and  correct  addresses  of  all 
members  in  good  standing  and  also  a  list  of 
names  and  addresses  of  those  under  suspen- 
sion; shall  send  to  the  State  office  a  copy 
of  all  application  cards  of  those  admitted; 
shall  report  all  expulsions  and  state  the 
cause,  to  the  State  oflice;  shall  see  that  all 
reports  and  communications  that  come  to 
him  as  an  official,  from  the  State  or  Na- 
tional offices,  are  read  at  the  first  meeting 
thereafter;  shall  use  diligent  effort  in  col- 
lecting dues  from  all  members  and  receive 
all  money,  that  is  coming  to  the  organiza- 
tion, from  any  source.  • 

Sec.  15.  The  treasurer  shall  receive 
money  and  pay  it  out  only  on  an  order 
signed  by  the  chairman  of  the  meeting  and 
the  recording  secretary;  and  keep  a  cor- 
rect account  of  same,  with  vouchers. 
12 


Sec.  16.  The  literature  agent  shall  have 
charge  of  the  literature;  disburse  and  sell 
the  same;  and  render  an  account  each 
month,  in  open  meeting. 

Sec.  17.  The  officials  of  a  Branch  or  Lo- 
cal shall  be  elected  for  a  term  of  six  months 
or  a  year,  as  the  organization  may  decide. 
The  term  for  six  months  shall  begin  on 
January  1st  and  July  1st.  The  term  for  a 
year  may  begin  at  either  of  these  dates. 
But  the  officials  shall  hold  and  be  recog- 
nized until  others  are  elected  or  they  are 
deposed,  or  in  case  the  new  ones  fail  to 
qualify. 

Sec.  18.  The  election  should  take  place 
during  the  month  preceding  the  beginning 
of  the  term.  Notice  of  such  election  should 
be  announced  at  an  open  meeting  before 
the  nominations  are  made  or  by  a  notice 
mailed  to  every  member,  in  time  before  the 
election. 

Sec.  19.  Nominations  may  be  made  .by 
voice  or  ballot,  as  the  organization  decides; 
but  the  election  must  be  by  ballot,  except 
in  cases  where  there  is  only  one  person 
nominated  for  a  position. 

Sec.  20.  All  English-speaking  Branches 
shall  be  cabled  American;  and  a  person  of 
any  language  or  color  may  be  admitted;  and 
persons  from  any  English-speaking  country 
should  join  this.  Persons  that  are  either 
Germans  or  Austrians  can  join  the  German 
Branch,  on  account  of  language.  Swedes, 
Norwegians  and  Danes  should  not  have  na- 
tional organizations,  but  join  a  Scandinavian 
Branch,  as  they  understand  each  other.  But 
there  may  be  formed  a  Bohemnian,  a  Hun- 
garian, a  Polish  and  a  Finnish  Branch,  as 
their  languages  differ  from  each  other  and 
from  their  national  governments. 

Sec.  21.  In  order  to  be  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  a  foreign-speaking  Branch  or  Lo- 
cal, one  must  understand  and  speak  that 
13 


language.  But  it  is  not  necessary  that  the 
business  of  the  organization  be  conducted 
in  the  foreign  language. 

Sec.  22.  All  organizations  must  use  the 
membership  cards  and  affix  dues-stamps  for 
the  dues  received,  as  that  is  evidence,  over 
the  nation,  of  the  members'  standing  in  the 
party. 

Sec.  23.  Each  Branch  or  Local  shall  col- 
lect 25c  for  each  dues-stamp,  of  which  15c 
is  for  state  and  national  dues.  Each  county 
or  city  organization  may,  by  a  majority  ref- 
erendum vote  of  the  membership,  assess  for 
propaganda  or  campaign  purposes  an  addi- 
tional sum,  not  to  exceed  25c  a  month.  But 
a  failure  to  pay  such  assessment  shall  not 
be  cause  for  censure  or  suspension. 

Sec.  24.  Each  Branch  or  Local  must  pay 
dues  in  advance,  for  at  least  five  members, 
in  order  to  be  in  good  standing.  Dues  must 
be  paid  at  least  as  often  as  once  in  three 
months;  and  the  month  in  which  payment 
is  made  is  not  counted  as  one  of  the  three 
months. 

Sec.  25.  The  time  for  which  an  organiza- 
tion has  paid  in  advance  will  be  figured  on 
the  total  membership  in  good  standing,  as 
reported  by  the  financial  secretary  in  the 
last  monthly  report  received  at  the  State 
office. 

Sec.  26.  On  the  first  day  of  the  month  fol- 
lowing the  month  for  which  the  dues  have 
been  paid,  or  when  the  three  months'  limit 
has  expired,  the  State  Secretary  shall  re- 
cord on  the  account  of  such  organization 
that  it  is  "suspended." 

Sec.  27.  Any  Branch  or  Local  can  rein- 
state within  three  months  after  suspension 
and  will  be  credited  with  reinstatement 
from  the  day  it  is  paid.  If  not  reinstated 
within  that  time,  the  Secretary  shall  mark 
on  the  account  of,  that  the  "charter  is  for- 
feited for  non-payment."  A  reinstatement 
14 


requires  a  payment  of  all  charges  up  to  the 
date. 

Sec.  28.  Any  organization  that  fails  to 
make  a  complete  monthly  report  to  the 
State  office  for  three  consecutive  months, 
shall  not  be  in  good  standing  and  shall  not 
be  entitled,  to  participate  in  any  referendum 
or  state  party  affairs,  until  the  reports  are 
made. 

Sec.  29.  Women  may  organize  Socialist 
clubs  for  study  and  propaganda.  The  mem- 
bers of  such  clubs  need  not  all  be  Social- 
ists, but  the  officials  should  be. 

When  so  organized  the  club  may  hold 
meetings  under  the  auspices  of  the  organ- 
izations, but  all  who  have  charge  or  con- 
duct such  public  meetings  must  be  party 
members. 

ARTICLE    IX. 
*County    Central    Organization. 

Section  1.  Each  county  where  there  are 
two  organizations  of  either  Locals  or 
Branches,  may  by  a  majority  vote  on  a  ref- 
erendum, form  a  central  organization  to  be 
called  a  County  Local;  elect  a  county  cen- 
tral committee,  and  be  chartered,  the  same 
as  any  other  organization. 

Sec.  2.  Each  county  that  has  adopted  a 
county  central  organization  should  have  a 
permanent  headquarters,  in  some  city  or 
town. 

Sec.  3.  When  a  County  Local  is  formed, 
all  the  existing  organizations  in  the  county 
shall  become  Branches,  on  territorial,  Lan- 
guage or  race-color  divisions. 

Sec.  4.  The  central  committee  shall  be 
composed  of  one  delegate  at  large  from  each 
of  the  Branches  or  former  Locals,  and  as 
many  more  as  may  be  agreed  on;  but  not 
less  than  five  on  any  central  committee. 

*  Central  committee  means  the  delegate 
committee  elected  as  per  Article  IX,  4.  And 
the  county  central  committee  is  referred  to  in 
Article  IX,  14. 

15 


Sec.  5.  The  by-laws  of  such  -organization 
shall  be  submitted  to  the  State  Executive 
Committee,  and  to  a  referendum  vote  of  the 
membership,  before  the  central  committee 
will  be  recognized.  The  by-laws  must  pro- 
vide for  an  initiative  and  referendum  au- 
thority. 

Sec.  6.  The  central  committee  can  select 
a  county  organizer.  The  county  secretary 
provided  for  in  Article  XXI  shall  be  the 
secretary-treasurer  of  this  committee;  and 
where  the  law  provides  for  a  chairman  or 
other  name  for  a  head  of  a  political  party 
in  a  county  the  county  secretary  shall  fill 
that  place. 

Sec.  7.  The  central  committee  shall  meet 
at  least  once  each  month,  or  else  provide 
for  a  central  mass  meeting  of  the  member- 
ship. Whatever  action  is  taken  at  one  of 
these  central  mass  meetings  shall  have  the 
same  effect  and  authority  as  of  a  regularly 
called  convention. 

Sec.  8.  The  terms  of  the  delegates  to  the 
central  committee  shall  begin  on  January 
first  and  be  for  one  year  or  six  months.  If 
for  six  months  the  second  term  shall  begin 
on  July  first.  They  shall  be  elected  by  bal- 
lot in  each  organization,  during  the  month 
previous  to  the  beginning  of  the  term. 

Sec.  9.  The  central  committee  is  the 
agent  of  the  county  committee,  and  may 
pass  upon  any  matter  that  ordinarily  goes 
to  the  latter,  but  all  acts  and  decisions  are 
subject  to  the  revision  and  reversion  of  the 
county  committee  and  the  party  member- 
ship. 

Sec.  10.  The  central  committee  may  pass 
upon  any  complaint  against  a  Branch,  mem- 
ber or  oflicial  in  the  whole  Local;  and  may 
suspend  any  of  these,  but  refer  to  the 
Branch  membership  if  against  an  individual 
and  the  Local  membership  if  against  a 
Branch;  shall  arrange  for  both  party  and 
16 


political  nominations  and  conventions,  ac- 
cording to  law;  shall  act  as  county  cam- 
paign committee  and  assume  all  duties  of 
county  executive  committee  and  propaganda 
committee;  and  the  county  secretary-treas- 
urer shall  report  each  month  to  the  State 
office. 

Sec.  11.  Upon  the  approval  of  the  acts 
of  the  central  organization  the  State  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  shall  allow  5c  on  every 
dues-stamp  sold  in  the  county  to  be  paid 
into  the  county  secretary-treasurer's  hands. 
The  5c  a  stamp  turned  into  the  county  sec- 
retary shall  be  used  to  pay  expenses  of 
propaganda  and  campaign. 

Sec.  12.  Any  member  of  the  central  com- 
mittee may  submit  through  the  secretary, 
any  motion  or  question  for  a  decision  or 
action. 

Sec.  13.  A  majority  of  the  delegates  shall 
be  a  quorum  and  a  majority  must  vote  on 
any  question  submitted  by  referendum  or  it 
will  not  be  decided,  either  way. 

Sec.  14.  The  county  committee  shall  be 
composed  of  one  member  from  each  politi- 
cal precinct  in  towns  and  rural  districts, 
and  one  from  each  ward  in  cities. 

Sec.  15.  The  party  members  of  a  ward 
or  precinct  can  select  their  own  commit- 
teeman;  but  in  failure  to  do  so  these  may 
be  selected  by  a  mass  meeting  first,  or  by 
the  rest  of  the  committee  appointing. 

ARTICLE  X. 
City   Central    Organization. 

Section  1.  Cities  may  organize  into  a 
central  organization,  separate  from  the  sys- 
tem of  organization  the  county  may  have. 
It  shall  organize  in  the  same  manner  as  is 
prescribed  for  county  central  organizations. 
It  shall  have  charge  of  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  city  affairs  and  have  its  representa- 
tives in  the  county  organization.  It  shall 
17 


select  its  own  secretary-treasurer  and  or- 
ganizer. 

Sec.  2.  A  city  must  have  at  least  two 
party  organizations,  on  either  territorial, 
language  or  color  line  before  it  will  be 
chartered  as  a  city  central  organization. 

Sec.  3.  If  there  is  no  county  central  or- 
ganization the  Executive  Committee  may  al- 
low to  the  city  central  organization,  5c  on 
every  dues-stamp  sold  in  the  city,  to  be 
used  for  propaganda  and  campaign  purposes. 

Sec.  4.  The  city  committee  shall  be  com- 
posed of  one  member  from  each  ward,  to 
be  selected  in  the  same  manner  as  is  the 
"  county  committee. 

Sec.  5.  The  wards  shall  have  ward  com- 
mittees, composed  of  one  member  from  each 
political  precinct,  selected  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  city  committeemen  are  elected  from 
the  wards. 

Sec.  6.  When  a  city  covers  so  much  of 
the  county  territory  that  there  is  not  any 
political  precinct  outside  of  the  city,  then 
the  organizations  of  the  county  shall  be  the 
same  as  in  the  city  and  the  committees  for 
the  county  shall  be  the  committees  for  the 
city,  in  so  far  as  they  can  do  the  same  du- 
ties. The  same  committees  shall  manage 
both  city  and  county  elections  and  the  Local 
and  central  organizations  shall  be  called 
city  and  county  organizations. 

ARTICLE  XI. 
Minor  Executive  Committees. 

Section  1.  The  financial  secretary,  the 
recording  secretary  and  the  organizer  shall 
be  the  executive  committee  of  a  Branch  or 
Local  organization.  If  there  are  only  two 
persons  holding  these  positions,  the  organ- 
ization may  select  another  person  to  act 
on  this  committee  only;  but  two  shall  al- 
ways be  a  quorum  to  act,  even  if  there  be 
three  on  the  committee. 
18 


Sec.  2.  The  duties  of  this  committee  shall 
be  to  call  special  metings  of  the  organiza- 
tion, when  needed;  to  arrange  for  speakers 
and  provide  for  meetings,  when  time  does 
not  permit  waiting  for  a  meeting  of  the  or- 
ganization. 

Sec.  3.  When  special  meetings  are  called 
a  notice  must  be  mailed  in  time  to  every 
member  in  good  standing;  and  the  object 
of  the  meeting  must  be  stated. 

Sec.  4.  The  acts  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  a  Branch  or  Local  shall  be  sub- 
ject to  revision  and  reversion  by  the  or- 
ganization only. 

Sec.  5.  This  executive  committee  of 
Branches  shalll  exist,  without  regards  to 
whether  the  county  is  under  central  organ- 
ization or  not. 

Sec.  6.  In  counties  where  there  is  no  cen- 
tral organization  or  central  committee,  the 
county  executive  committee  shall  be  com- 
posed of  the  members  of  the  several  Branch 
and  Local  executive  committees. 

The  organizations,  however,  may  reduce 
the  number  of  members;  but  in  no  case 
shall  it  be  less  than  five. 

Sec.  7.  This  executive  committee  of  the 
county  shall  see  that  the  nominations  are 
made  according  to  legal  requirements;  shall 
plan  for  the  political  and  propaganda  meet- 
ings of  the  county.  In  fact  it  shall  be  the 
political  and  campaign  committee  of  the 
county,  unless  other  provisions  are  made. 
It  shall  meet  when  and  where  it  decides 
and  all  acts  shall  be  subject  to  the  revision 
and  reversion  of  the  county  committee. 

Sec.  8.  It  may  adopt  rules  and  by-laws,  to 
regulate  its  order  of  business,  and  submit 
same  to  the  State  Executive  Committee. 

Sec.   9.     The  county  secretary,   elsewhere 
provided  for,  shall  be  the  secretary  of  the 
county  executive   committee. 
19 


Cities. 

Sec.  10.  If  there  is  no  central  organiza- 
tion in  a  city,  a  city  executive  committee 
shall  be  composed  of  the  same  officials  and 
in  the  same  manner;  and  have  the  same  du- 
ties (in  city  matters),  as  the  county  execu- 
tive committee  has  in  county  matters.  It 
shall  attend  to  city  matters  only,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  city  committee.  It  shall 
select  its  own  secretary  and  such  other  offi- 
cers as  may  be  needed. 

Sec.  11.  As  there  shall  be  no  county  ex- 
ecutive committee  in  any  county  that  has 
adopted  county  central  organization,  so  also 
in  a  city,  there  shall  be  no  city  executive 
committee  if  there  is  a  city  central  com- 
mittee. 

Sec.  12.  Counties  where  the  city  and 
county  cover  the  same  territory,  and  where 
there  is  no  central  organization  this  execu- 
tive committee  of  the  county  shall  be  on  the 
same  basis  of  duties  for  both  the  city  and 
county,  the  same  as  is  provided  for  the  city 
and  county  committee. 

ARTICLE   XII. 
Political   Committees. 

Section  1.  The  political  committees  for 
the  State,  the  counties,  the  towns,  and  pre- 
cincts shall  be  the  executive  and  central 
committees  provided  for  in  this  constitu- 
tion; all  subject  to  the  supervision  of  the 
general  committees  and  party  membership, 
in  the  respective  territories. 

Sec.  2.  The  political  committees  for  con- 
gressional districts,  judicial  districts,  legis- 
lative districts  for  'senators  and  representa- 
tives, when  covering  more  than  one  county 
and  less  than  the  state,  shall  be  composed 
of  the  several  State  Committeemen  within 
the  respective  districts. 

Sec.  3.     These  political   committees   shall 
see  that  the  nominations  are  properly  made 
20 


and  that  campaigns  are  conducted;  that  ac- 
ceptances and  resignations  are  turned  in, 
and  assist  in  any  way  they  see  useful. 

ARTICLE  XIII. 
Party  Officials  and  Their   Elections. 

Section  1.  The  officials  of  the  party  shall 
be  elected  by  referendum  vote  of  the  mem- 
bership and  shall  hold  office  until  their  suc- 
cessors are  elected  and  qualify,  though  the 
term  may  have  expired. 

Sec.  2.  The  term  of  the  regular  State  offi- 
cials, including  the  National  Committeeman, 
shall  begin  on  May  1st  and  be  for  one  year. 

Sec.  3.  Between  November  15th  and  De- 
cember 1st  the  Secretary  shall  issue  a  call 
upon  the  Locals,  Branches  and  Members  at 
Large,  to  nominate  candidates  for  the  fol- 
lowing positions  in  the  party  organization: 
State  Secretary,  State  Executive  Committee, 
the  State  Committeemen  from  the  different 
counties,  and  the  National  Committeemen 
we  may  be  entitled  to. 

Sec.  4.  Each  Local,  Branch  and  Member 
at  Large  may  nominate  one  for  each  place 
to  be  filled,  except  for  State  Committeemen, 
where  each  should  nominate  two  which  will 
be  designated  first  and  second  nominations. 
If  more  than  one  organization  or  Member 
at  Large  nominate  different  persons,  then 
only  the  first  in  each  case  will  be  counted; 
if  not  both  will  stand. 

Sec.  5.  Not  over  30  days  shall  be  allowed 
for  the  nominatoins  to  be  returned  to  the 
State  office,  and  10  days  will  be  allowed  to 
accept.  Only  those  that  accept  the  nomina- 
tion and  furnish  their  membership  card  or 
a  certificate  from  the  financial  secretary, 
showing  that  they  have  been  members  long 
enough  and  are  in  good  standing,  shall  be 
put  on  the  ballot. 

Sec.  6.  When  nominations  are  reported, 
the  correct  mail  address  must  be  given,  in 
21 


every  case  so  as  to  insure  notice  being 
mailed  right. 

Sec.  7.  Thirty  days  shall  be  allowed  to 
cast  the  ballots  and  five  days  more  for  the 
returns  to  reach  the  State  office. 

Sec.  8.  All  who  receive  a  majority  of  all 
votes  cast  for  that  position  will  be  elected. 

Sec.  9.  If  a  second  ballot  is  necessary, 
only  those  two  who  received  the  largest 
number  of  votes  for  the  one  position  snail 
be  candidates.  This  system  shall  be  used 
in  all  party  elections,  whether  for  State  po- 
sitions or  smaller.  Elections  to  fill  any  va- 
cancy shall  be  conducted  in  the  same  man- 
ner. 

Sec.  10.  A  person  must  have  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  party  for  three  consecutive  years, 
and  a  member  of  this  State  Party  one  year, 
to  be  eligible  to  the  nomination  of  National 
Secretary,  National  Committeeman  or  Na- 
tional Executive  Committeeman. 

Sec.  11.  A  person  must  have  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  party  for  two  consecutive  years 
and  a  member  in  this  state  one  ye,ar,  to  be 
eligible  to  nomination  for  delegate  to  a  Na- 
tional Convention,  a  National  Congress  or 
an  International  Congress  of  the  Party. 

Sec.  12.  No  person  shall  be  nominated  for 
any  State  Party  official  position  who  has  not 
been  a  consecutive  member  of  the  party  in 
this  state  for  one  year;  except  for  State 
Committeemen  in  counties  where  the  organ- 
ization has  not  been  consecutive  that  long. 

Sec.  13.  No  person  shall  be  eligible  to 
hold  the  positions  of  National  Committee- 
man  and  National  Executive  Committeeman, 
at  the  same  time;  nor  shall  one  person  hold 
the  position  of  State  Committeeman  and 
State  Executive  Committeeman  at  the  same 
time.  The  State  Secretary  shall  not  hold 
either  of  the  two  latter  named. 

Sec.  14.  No  person  who  is  editor,  man- 
ager or  owner  of  a  private  periodical  shall 
22 


hold  any  executive  position  in  the  party. 

Sec.  15.  Any  person  holding  an  official 
Party  position,  who  shall  become  suspended, 
or  the  organization  of  which  he  is  a  mem- 
ber becomes  suspended,  shall  be  deprived  of 
the  position,  unless  he  immediately  shows 
proof  that  he  has  been  reinstated  or  become 
a  member  elsewhere. 

Sec.  16.  Any  member  who  announces 
himself  or  advocates  himself  as  candidate 
for  a  Party  official  position  shall  be  deemed 
ineligible  and  subject  to  suspension  or  ex- 
pulsion. 

Sec.  17.  When  an  organization  nominates 
any  member  for  a  position  the  secretary  of 
that  organization  shall  notify  the  nominee 
of  the  fact,  and  instruct  him  where  to  send 
his  acceptance  or  declination. 

Sec.  18.  The  Executive  Committee  or  the 
State  Committee  may  select  a  State  Organ- 
izer when  they  so  desire  and  when  one  can 
be  used.  When  so  selected,  he  becomes  a 
State  official  and  he  must  comply  in  qualifi- 
cations with  all  other  State  officials.  His 
official  position  shall  end  with  the  term  of 
the  other  State  officials,  unles  sooner  ter- 
minated by  the  committee  which  selected 
him.  Anyone  engaged  as  a  speaker  or  or- 
ganizer by  the  .Secretary  is  not  considered  a 
State  official. 

ARTICLE  XIV. 
Political  Nominations  and  Candidates. 

Section  1.  The  political  committees  for 
the  different  political  divisions  shall  see 
that  nominations  are  made,  either  by  con- 
vention or  by  petition,  after  the  candidates 
have  been  selected  by  referendum;  shall 
see  that  the  tickets  are  filed  according  to 
legal  requirements  and  that  the  require- 
ments of  our  constitution  are  complied 
with. 

Sec.  2.     The  acts  of  the  political  commit- 

23 


}  tees  shall  be  subject  to  the  supervision  of 
the  general  committees  and  the  party  mem- 
bership, the  same  as  all  other  party  affairs. 

Sec.  3.  In  both  delegate  conventions  and 
mass  conventions  of  the  State,  the  repre- 
sentation shall  be  one  representative  at 
large  for  each  Local  (not  Branches),  and 
one  for  each  25  members  in  good  standing. 
The  membership  shall  be  determined  by  the 
amount  of  dues — stamps  bought  during  the 
six  months  before  the  month  in  which  the 
call  was  made;  or  for  the  time  organized, 
if  less  than  six  months. 

Sec.  4.  Each  delegate  shall  have  only 
one  vote,  and  no  proxies.  But  different  Lo- 
cals in  the  same  county  may  select  the 
same  representative;  and  when  so  selected 
shall  have  as  many  votes  as  he  represents. 

Sec.  5.  Each  county  where  there  are  five 
Members  at  Large  and  no  Local  organiza- 
tion, shall  have  one  representative. 

Sec.  6.  No  suspended  Branch  or  Local 
shall  be  represented  in  any  convention;  nor 
any  organization  that  was  not  chartered  and 
paid  dues  for  the  month  previous  to  the 
month  in  which  the  call  was  made. 

Sec.  7.  No  fusion  with,  nor  agreement  to 
receive  or  give  endorsement  from  or  to  any 
political  party,  shall  be  made  by  any  com- 
mittee or  organization  of  the  Socialist  party. 
Any  organization  that  sanctions  such  an 
agreement  shall  have  its  charter  revoked  by 
action  of  the  Executive  Committee. 

Sec.  8.  By  political  party  or  organization 
is  meant  any  number  of  persons  who  by  any 
metfcod  present  a  candidate  for  any  office 
provided  for  by  law,  whether  it  be  for  a 
member  of  a  school  board  or  any  other  po- 
sition. But  any  organization  that  merely 
endorses  certain  candidates,  and  does  not 
file  a  ticket  is  not  a  political  party,  within 
the  meaning  of  this  constitution. 

Sec.  9.  No  person  who  has  within  two 
24 


years  been  an  official  or  candidate  of  any 
other  party  or  member  of  the  Citizen's  Alli- 
ance or  similar  organization,  shall  be  eligi- 
ble to  any  political  nomination  in  any  dis- 
trict. 

Sec.  10.  Before  any  State  political  con- 
vention is  held,  a  referendum  of  the  mem- 
bership, to  express  the  choice  for  nominees, 
shall  be  called  for. 

Sec.  11.  No  nomination  shall  be  withheld 
in  order  to  favor  any  person  or  party.  And 
any  organization  that  does  not  expel  any 
member  who  proposes  or  advocates  such, 
shall  have  its  charter  revoked. 

Sec.  12.  No  member  of  the  party  shall 
announce  himself  a  candidate  for  a  politi- 
cal office.  And  any  member  who  advocates 
his  own  nomination  shall  be  deemed  ineli- 
gible and  liable  to  expulsion. 

Sec.  13.  No  member  shall  be  eligible  as 
a  delegate  to  a  State  convention  unless  he 
has  been  a  member  in  the  state  for  a  year. 

Sec.  14.  Whenever  a  member  is  elected 
to  any  political  office,  he  shall  be  subject 
to  the  supervision  of  the  party  for  the  dis- 
trict he  represents,  and  anyone  who  re- 
fuses to  obey  the  tactics  and  mandates  of 
the  Party  will  be  subject  to  deposition 
through  recall. 

Sec.  15.  Delegates  to  a  convention  and 
all  nominees  must  show  their  dues-cards'  or 
a  certificate  from  the  financial  secretary, 
showing  them  in  good  standing  for  the  re- 
quired time. 

Sec.  16.  All  acts  of  a  State  convention 
which  imply  a  platform  or  party  program 
shall  be  submitted  to  a  membership  refer- 
endum vote. 

Sec.  17.  Whenever  any  organization  nom- 
inates any  member  for  either  a  Party  posi- 
tion or  a  political  office,  the  secretary  of 
such  an  organization  must  notify  the  nom- 
inee of  the  fact  and  instruct  him  to  whom 
25 


he  should  send  his  acceptance  or  refusal, 
which  shall  be  the  State  office  for  all  posi- 
tions or  offices  covering  more  than  a  county; 
for  the  county  offices  send  to  the  county 
secretary  and  for  cities  or  towns  to  their 
respective  secretaries. 

Sec.  18.  All  candidates  for  any  political 
office,  nominated  by  the  Socialist  Party,  shall 
sign  an  undated  resignation  from  such  of- 
fice, and  deliver  the  same  to  the  State  of- 
fice if  it  covers  a  territory  larger  than  a 
county.  If  it  covers  a  county  only  it  shall 
be  delivered  to  the  county  secretary.  If  it 
is  a  city  or  town  office  or  a  smaller  politi- 
cal division,  it  shall  be  delivered  to  the  sec- 
retaries of  the  executive  committees,  the 
central  committees,  or  the  political  commit- 
tees that  have  charge  or  control  of  the  po- 
litical management  in  the  division  from 
which  the  nomination  was  given. 

Sec.  19.  No  nominee  shall  be  placed  on 
the  legal  ballot  unless  the  resignation  pro- 
vided for  has  been  signed  and  delivered. 
And  such  resignation  shall  be  dated  and 
presented  to  the  proper  legal  officers,  if  a 
recall  by  referendum  has  been  had  by  the 
meftf  ers^-ip  for  the  district  involved. 

&ov,.  20.  Any  candidate  who  does  not 
publicly  refuse  and  protest  against  any  fu- 
sion or  endorsement  offered  from  any  other 
party,  shall  be  held  to  have  declined  the 
Socialist  nomination,  and  his  place  shall  be 
filled  like  other  vacancies,  without  any  for- 
mal proceeding;  though  he  shall  have  a 
right  to  be  heard  afterwards  in  his  own  de- 
fense. 

Sec.  21.  No  person  shall  be  eligible  as  a 
candidate  for  any  political  office,  that  is 
either  State  or  National  (which  includes  con- 
gressional), unless  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  party  for  two  years  and  of  the  party 
in  this  state  for  one  year,  continuously  next 
preceding  the  nomination.  Nor  shall  he  be 


eligible  for  any  other  office  unless  he  has 
been  a  member  in  the  state  for  one  year  'ex- 
cept in  territory  where  the  party  has  not 
been  in  organization  for  that  long,  or  have 
no  member  qualified,  that  has  belonged  that 
long. 

ARTICLE   XV. 

Offenses  and  Violations  of  Members. 
'Section  1.  Any  violation  of  any  require- 
ment necessary  to  become  a  member,  or  any 
condition  or  conduct  which  is  prohibited  for 
an  applicant,  in  order  to  become  a  member, 
shall  be  charges  of  offense. 

Sec.  2.  Any  misbehavior  or  indecorum  in 
words  or  acts  at  a  meeting  of  a  Branch  or 
Local  organization,  such  as  abusive  lan- 
guage, refusal  to  obey  the  order  of  the  chair- 
man, without  having  an  appeal  sustained, 
physical  force  or  indecent  language,  shall 
be  sufficient  cause  for  offense,  so  that  a 
vote  may  be  taken  at  once,  without  argu- 
ment or  discussion  from  either  side,  to  sus- 
pend the  offender  from  voice  and  vote.  Such 
suspension  can  be  made  for  that  meeting 
only. 

Sc.  3.  A  member  must  be  ""isci^li^ed 
for  any  of  the  following  offenses: 

(a)  Any  attempt  to  influence   any  mem- 
ber   of   a   jury,    committee   or   organization, 
before    whom    a   case    of    offense   has    been 
brought. 

(b)  For    suggesting    fusion    or    endorse- 
ment from  or  for  any  candidate  or  organiza- 
tion of  any  other  political  party. 

(c)  For  advocating  the  election  or  defeat 
of  any  candidate  of  any  other  party,  except 
when  advocacy  of  the  defeat  of  any  other 
candidate  is   coupled  with  the   advocacy  of 
the    election    of    a    Socialist    candidate    for 
that  office. 

(d)  For  proposing  to  vote  for,  or  admit- 
ting that  he  did  vote  for  any  candidate  of 

27 


any  other  party.  This  applies  without  re- 
gard to  whether  the  Socialists  had  a  candi- 
date in  the  field  or  not.  And  it  applies  to 
all  caucuses,  conventions  and  primary  elec- 
tions, but  not  for  nominating  petitions. 

(e)  For  allowing  his  name  to  appear  on 
the  official  ballot;   or  failing  to  publicly  re- 
fuse   and   protest   against   any  endorsement 
for  himself  as  a  candidate  for  office  for  any 
party  except  the  Socialist  party. 

(f)  Embezzlement    or    misappropriation 
of  any  party  funds. 

(g)  Disobeying  instructions   as   a   Party 
official  or  a  political  officer. 

(h)  Attempting  to  form  a  rival  organi- 
zation, while  the  regular  organization  is 
recognized  in  good  standing. 

(i)  For  declining  to  support  the  State 
or  National  constitutions  or  platforms. 

(j)  For  excessive  use  of  intoxicating 
drinks: 

ARTICLE  XVI. 
Revocation    of    Charters. 

Section  1.  The  Executive  Committee  shall 
suspend  or  revoke  the  charter  of  any  or- 
ganization for  any  of  the  following  offenses: 

(a)  For  the  adoption  of  a  constitution  or 
platform    that    is    not    in    conformity    with 
the  State  or  National  regulations;   provided 
that    ttie   organization    shall   be    notified   to 
correct  the  error. 

(b)  For    neglecting    or    refraining    from 
making  nominations   when   it  was   possible 
to   do    so,   and   when   there   were    members 
that  were  qualified  for  candidates. 

(c)  For   failure   to    support   the    regular 
Socialist  nominees  for  public  office. 

(d)  For  failure  to  expel  any  member  who 
has  in  any  way  violated  the  regulations  or 
committed  any  offense  that  is  named  in  this 
constitution. 

Sec.  2.     Any  organization  that  knowingly 

28 


admits  an  expelled  member  within  two 
years  from  the  time  of  expulsion  shall  have 
its  charter  revoked. 

Sec.  3.  Charges  in  writing  must  be  filed 
with  the  Executive  Committee,  either  by  a 
properly  certified  statement  of  an  organiza- 
tion or  by  two  members  in  good  standing. 
Upon  this  information  the  Committee  shall 
notify  the  accused  organization,  which  shall 
have  30  days  to  reply. 

Sec.  4.  Suspension  by  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee for  a  limited  time  shall  be  final,  but 
indefinite  suspension  or  revocation  shall  be 
subject  to  appeal  to  the  State  Committee, 
then  to  the  party  membership  of  the  State. 

ARTICLE   XVII. 
Recall. 

Section  1.  No  charge  shall  be  necessary 
for  an  organization  to  initiate  a  recall  of 
any  person  and  a  recall  does  not  involves 
suspension  nor  expulsion  from  membership. 
But  the  Executive  Committee  has  the  power 
to  suspend  any  official  and  appoint  someone 
temporarily  to  do  the  work  of  the  position 
while  the  referendum  on  a  recall  or  charge 
is  pending. 

Sec.  2.  The  Executive  Committee  or  the 
State  Committee,  toy  a  majority  vote,  may 
initiate  a  recall  against  any  party  official  or 
officer. 

Sec.  3.  When  any  person  is  removed  or 
recalled  by  any  means  from  any  State  posi- 
tion or  political  office  he  shall  be  removed 
from  all  trusts  of  the  party  at  that  time. 

Sec.  4.  Any  member  refusing  to  obey  the 
recall  shall  be  expelled.  And  any  Local  or 
Branch  that  fails  to  expel  shall  have  its 
charter  revoked  by  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee, upon  notice. 

Sec.  5.  When  a  recall  or  a  charge  is  in- 
itiated or  filed  against  a  Party  official  or  a 
political  officer,  he  shall  be  notified  of  the 
29 


same    in    time    to    reply,    before    a   vote    is 
taken  on  the  question. 

Sec.  6.  Any  member  against  whom  a  re- 
call has  been  sustained  shall  have  the  same 
methods  of  appeal  as  are  allowed  persons 
on  trial  except  in  cases  where  a  trial  pre- 
ceded the  recall. 

ARTICLE   XVIII. 
Judicial  Proceedings. 

Section  1.  Any  member  may  be  censured 
or  suspended  without  trial  or  being  heard  in 
his  own  defense  for  similar  offenses  to 
those  named  in  Sec.  2,  of  Article  XV,  but 
no  member  shall  be  deposed,  expelled  or  re- 
called, without  being  given  a  chance  to  be 
heard,  providing  he  pleads  not  guilty  or 
denies  the  charge. 

Sec.  2.  When  a  member  is  accused  of  an 
offense,  the  charge  must  be  in  writing,  un- 
less it  is  an  offense  described  in  Article 
XV,  Sec.  2.  The  charge  must  state  specifi- 
cally the  kind  of  offense  and  the  time  and 
place  committed  as  near  as  possible. 

Sec.  3.  When  the  charges  are  presented, 
the  organization  shall  appoint  a  committee 
of  three  or  five  to  examine  and  report  to 
the  organization.  The  accused  shall  be 
served  with  an  exact  copy  of  the  complaint 
and  the  time  set  for  him  to  be  heard,  which 
should  be  from  one  to  two  weeks.  Unless 
he  immediately  notifies  the  secretary  that 
he  cannot  appear  and  sets  the  time  when  he 
can  give  a  reply  the  case  will  be  called  and 
a  vote  taken  on  the  information  of  the 
charge. 

Sec.  4.  When  the  accused  appears  and 
asks  for  a  reasonable  time  to  prepare,  it 
shall  be  set.  The  organization  shall  have 
the  same  privilege  to  prepare. 

Sec.  5.  The  accused  shall  have  his  choice 
of  a  trial  before  a  jury  of  six  members  or 
30 


the  membership,  which  must  be  stated  the 
first  time  he  apppears  to  give  his  answer. 

Sec.  6.  In  case  of  a  jury  trial  both  sides 
shall  have  the  right  to  challenge  for  cause 
and  each  shall  have  three  peremptory  chal- 
lenges. 

Sec.  7.  The  accused  shall  also  have  a 
right  to  a  change  of  venue,  to  some  other 
organization  in  the  county,  by  showing  good 
cause  to  the  Executive  Committee,  who 
shall  designate  the  organization.  Such 
change  must  be  a  trial  before  the  member- 
ship. 

Sec.  8.  The  organization  and  the  accused 
may  each  select  some  member  as  counsel 
the  conduct  the  case. 

Sec.  9.    The  order  of  trial  shall  be: 

(1)  Calling  to  order   and   electing  some 
member  for  chairman  and  one  for  secretary, 
who   shall   be   the   judge   and    clerk   of   the 
trial.     The  judge  shall  preserve  order,  but 
shall   not  be   a  witness   on  either  side   nor 
give    any    opinion.      His    decisions    may   be 
appealed    from   the   same    as    in    any   other 
meeting.     The  secretary  shall  keep  the  min- 
utes of  the  proceedings  and  the   testimony 
on  both  sides. 

(2)  The  charge  shall  be  read  and  the  ac- 
cused shall  reply,  by  stating  either  that  he 
denies  the   charge  or  that  it  is  not  an  of- 
fense. 

(3)  The    prosecution    shall    produce    its 
witnesses  first,  then  the  defense;    then   re- 
buttals on  each  side.     Each  witness  may  be 
cross-examined  in  the  usual  manner,  but  no 
new  testimony  shall  be  allowed  in  rebuttal 
examination. 

(4)  Arguments  on  each  side  may  be  lim- 
ited   in    time.      The    prosecution    shall    lead 
and    the    defense    close    in    the    arguments, 
after  which  the  jury  or  the  membership  be- 
fore whom  the  trial  is  held,  shall  without 

31 


discussion  take  a  vote  by  ballot  on  the  fol- 
lowing questions: 

(a)  Is    defendant   guilty   of   any   charge 
specified? 

(b)  If  so,  on  what  charge? 

(c)  Shall   the   penalty  be    censure,    sus- 
pension or  expulsion? 

Sec.  10.  A  majority  of  either  jury  or 
membership  before  whom  the  trial  is  held 
shall  render  the  verdict.  But  an  expulsion 
cannot  be  made  on  the  verdict  of  a  jury  un- 
less it  is  unanimous  nor  by  the  membership, 
unless  a  majority  of  the  whole  membership 
in  good  standing  was  present  at  the  trial. 
If  the  verdict  is  expulsion,  by  less  than  as 
above  stated,  the  verdict  can  be  submitted 
to  the  membership,  by  referendum  ballot, 
and  a  majority  of  those  who  vote  on  it  shall 
render  the  decision. 

Sec.  11.  If  the  verdict  is  expulsion,  the 
defendant  may  appeal  to  the  State  Commit- 
tee and  the  State  membership. 

Sec.  12.  If  the  verdict  is  either  suspen- 
sion for  more  than  30  days  or  an  expulsion, 
rendered  by  a  Branch  organization,  the  de- 
fendant may  appeal  it  directly  to  the  mem- 
bership of  the  whole  Local  organization. 

Sec.  13.  A  verdict  of  censure  or  suspen- 
sion not  to  exceed  30  days  by  any  organiza- 
tion, shall  not  be  appealable.  And  no  ver- 
dict for  any  penalty  less  than  expulsion 
shall  be  appealed  to  either  State  Committee 
or  State  membership. 

Sec.  14.  In  appeals  the  evidence  produced 
and  verdict  found  shall  be  agreed  to  and 
signed  by  both  parties,  then  printed  and 
forwarded  to  each  member  of  the  State 
Committee. 

Sec.  15.  The  cost  of  the  transcript  to  go 
on  an  appeal  shall  be  paid  by  the  side  that 
demands  the  appeal.  But  if  the  final  ver- 
dict is  for  the  defendant  the  cost  shall  be 
paid  by  the  organization. 

32 


Sec.  16.  A  verdict  in  favor  of  the  defend- 
ant restores  him  or  her  to  all  former  rights; 
but  an  expulsion  will  be  held  against  him 
in  the  whole  party. 

Sec.  17.  The  verdict  of  State  Committee 
and  State  membership  shall  be  by  majority 
as  follows:  "Shall  the  verdict  of  (organiza- 
tion or  jury)  in  case  of 

be   sustained?     Yes No 

Sec.  18.  Every  case  of  suspension  and 
expulsion  for  offenses  must  be  immediately 
reported  to  the  State  office,  stating  the 
cause  of  it  and  giving  his  occupation  and 
age. 

ARTICLE  XIX. 
State  Secretary. 

Sec.  1.  The  State  Secretary  shall  be  the 
Treasurer  of  the  funds,  and  where  the  law 
provides  for  a  Chairman  or  other  name  for 
the  head  of  a  political  party,  he  shall  fill 
that  place.  He  shall  be  the  executive  head, 
under  the  immediate  direction  and  super- 
vision of  the  Executive  Committee. 

Sec.  2.  He  shall  transact  the  necessary 
work  pertaining  to  the  State  office,,  receive 
money  and  pay  bills  which  are  authorized; 
keep  a  list  of  names  of  officers,  members  of 
Locals,  Branches  and  Members  at  Large; 
keep  the  correct  and  full  minutes  of  all 
transactions  of  the  Executive  Committee 
and  State  Committee,  whether  by  referen- 
dum or  meetings,  and  report  same  in  month- 
ly reports,  or  sooner,  if  needed;  purchase, 
sell  and  distribute  dues-stamps  and  litera- 
ture; issue  and  sign  charters  in  conjunction 
with  the  selected  chairman  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee;  report  to  the  National  of- 
fice as  provided  in  the  National  organiza- 
tion; report  monthly  to  all  organizations 
and  Members  at  Large  the  financial  condi- 
tions, which  shall  include  all  amounts  re- 
ceived and  paid  out,  the  amount  of  dues- 
33 


stamps   and   literature  on   hand,  the   deficit 
and  total  debt  of  the  party. 

Sec.  3.  He  may  on  his  own  initiative  sub- 
mit any  question  or  appeal  to  tne  Executive 
Committee  and  State  Committee,  by  corre- 
spondence. 

Sec.  4.  He  shall  have  charge  of  routing 
the  speakers  and  organizers,  unless  they  are 
specially  routed  by  an  executive  or  central 
committee. 

Sec.  5.  He  shall  issue  calls  for  State 
nominations,  elections  and  conventions; 
shall  submit  all  motions  and  referendums 
when  they  come  in  the  proper  form;  shall 
publish  the  vote  of  each  organization  upon 
every  question  submitted. 

Sec.  6.  He  shall  notify  every  organiza- 
tion when  it  is  suspended. 

Sec.  7.  He  shall  ascertain  the  exact  stand- 
ing of  every  state  and  national  nominee  for 
either  Party  or  political  position,  and  not 
permit  anyone  to  go  on  a  ballot  unless  qual- 
ified according  to  State  and  National  con- 
stitutions. 

Sec.  8.  He  shall  not  be  a  member  of 
either  the  State  Committee  or  Executive 
Committee,  but  he  may  be  employed  as  an 
organizer,  with  the  consent  of  the  Executive 
Committee,  when  needed. 

Sec.  9.  He  shall  be  subject  to  suspension 
by  the  Executive  Committee,  while  pending 
a  referendum  to  determine  the  question  in- 
volved. 

Sec.  10.  He  shall  furnish  a  bond  in  some 
surety  company,  in  such  sum  as  shall  be  re- 
quired by  the  Executive  Committee.  The 
expense  to  be  paid  out  of  the  party  funds. 

Sec.  11.  If  he  fails  to  secure  surety  bond 
in  60  days,  the  Executive  Committee  shall 
declare  the  position  vacant.  If  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  fails  to  look  after  this,  each 
one  of  the  members  shall  be  held  responsi- 
ble for  any  loss  that  may  occur. 
34 


Sec.  12.  While  the  party  membership 
does  mot  exceed  1,000,  computed  by  the  av- 
erage dues-stamps  sold  during  the  year,  the 
monthly  salary  of  the  Secretary  shall  be 
$25.00  for  all  the  regular  work  required  in 
the  Office.  When  there  is  extra  work  and 
time  required  in  nominations,  elections  and 
organization,  the  Executive  Committee  may 
allow  extra  pay.  But  such  pay  to  the  Sec- 
retary or  his  help  shall  not  exceed  during 
the  year  an  amount  more  than  will  equal 
5  cents  on  each  dues-stamp  sold,  nor  any 
amount  that  will  create  a  debt  against  the 
Party. 

Sec.  13.  He  shall  provide  his  own  office 
room  at  his  own  expense,  and  pay  his  own 
transportation  in  attending  the  meetings  of 
the  Executive  Committee. 

ARTICLE  XX. 
State  Executive  Committee. 

Section  1.  The  State  Executive  Commit- 
tee shall  consist  of  five  members,  but  not 
more  than  two  shall  reside  in  the  same 
county,  nor  more  than  three  within  the 
same  congressional  district. 

Sec.  2.  The  nominations  and  elections  of 
members  on  this  Committee  shall  be  made 
as  follows:  Nominations  shall  be  made  by 
the  State  at  large,  at  the  same  time  and  in 
same  manner  as  for  other  State  party  offi- 
cials. But  two  nominees  must  reside  in  the 
first  and  two  in  the  second  congressional 
district.  When  the  election  vote  is  counted, 
the.  one  having  received  the  largest  vote 
shall  be  declared  to  be  elected  for  the  dis- 
trict of  the  State  at  large.  The  others 
elected  shall  be  the  two  in  each  congres- 
sional district  that  have  the  largest  major- 
ity votes  in  the  congressional  district  in 
which  the  nominees  reside.  If  no  one  in 
one  district  has  a  larger  vote  than  some  in 
the  other  district,  then  the  ones  having  the 
35 


largest  in  that  district  shall  be  declared 
elected  for  that  district,  provided  he  has  a 
majority  over  the  others  residing  in  that 
district,  by  counting  the  total  vote  of  the 
state.  If  part  of  this  Committee  is  elected 
the  candidates  on  the  second  ballot  shall 
be  apportioned  so  as  to  assure  at  least  two 
members  residing  in  each  of  the  first  and 
second  congressional  districts,  regardless  of 
the  residence  of  the  member  at  large  if 
elected.  The  same  rule  in  regards  to  county 
residence  must  apply. 

Sec.  3.  Three  members  shall  constitute  a 
quorum,  except  when  filling  a  vacancy;  then 
two  shall  be  sufficient  to  appoint. 

Sec.  4.  The  transportation  fare  for  at- 
tending meetings  of  the  Committee  shall  be 
paid  out  of  the  party  funds.  But  the  maxi- 
mum fare  to  be  paid  for  any  one  member 
shall  not  exceed  $5.00  per  trip. 

Sec.  5.  This  Committee  is  the  agent  of 
the  State  Committee  and  all  acts  and  deci- 
sions by  it  shall  be  considered  as  the  acts 
of  the  State  Committee,  until  reversed. 

Sec.  6.  This  Committee  shall  select  one 
of  its  members  to  be  designated  as  chair- 
man, to  whom  communications  and  motions 
to  be  submitted,  may  be  sent,  instead  of  the 
Secretary. 

Sec.  7.  Any  member  of  the  Committee 
who  is  absent  from  one  meeting  and  not 
present  at  the  time  the  next  meeting  is 
called  to  order  shall  be  deemed  to  have  re- 
signed. The  place  shall  be  temporarily 
filled  by  appointment,  until  someone  is 
elected. 

Sec.  8.  It  shall  adopt  its  own  rules  of 
procedure,  in  conformity  with  the  rules  and 
regulations  of  the  party  organization. 

Sec.  9.    It  shall  meet  on  its  own  initiative 
or  on  the  call  of  the  Secretary,  at  least  once 
in  three   months,    at   the    place   where   the 
headquarters  is  located. 
36 


Sec.  10.  The  business  between  meetings 
shall  be  conducted  through  correspondence 
and  referendum,  the  same  as  the  State  Com- 
mittee transacts  its  business. 

Sec.  11.  It  shall  audit  the  books  of  the 
Secretary  as  often  as  once  every  six  months; 
pass  upon  admission  of  Members  at  Large 
and  granting  charters;  and  have  general 
supervision  of  all  financial  affairs,  propa- 
ganda, organization,  political  nominations 
and  campaigns,  unless  otherwise  arranged 
by  a  higher  authority. 

Sec.  12.  It  shall  prepare  or  appoint  a 
committee  to  present  to  a  state  convention 
a  draft  of  rules  of  procedure  and  a  party 
platform. 

Sec.  13.  It  may  suspend  or  expel  Mem- 
bers at  Large.  It  may  suspend  or  expel  any 
Branch  or  Local,  while  pending  a  referen- 
dum to  higher  authority. 

Sec.  14.  Members  of  this  Committtee 
may  be  suspended  from  service  by  the  State 
Committee,  while  pending  a  referendum  to 
the  party  membership. 

Sec.  15.  It  may  refer  any  question  to  the 
State  Committee  on  a  motion  by  any  one 
of  the  members. 

ARTICLE  XXI. 

State  Committee. 

Section  1.  The  State  Committee  shall  be 
composed  of  one  member  at  large  from 
each  county  that  has  at  least  .one  organized 
Local  in  good  standing,  or  ten  Members  at 
Large  in  good  standing;  and  one  additional 
member  for  each  one  hundred  members  in 
good  standing,  to  be  determined  by  the  num- 
ber of  dues-stamps  bought  during  the  last 
six  months,  or  the  time  of  each  organiza- 
tion, if  less  than  six  months. 

Sec.  2.  The  State  Committeeman  shall  be 
the  county  secretary,  and  where  the  law 
provides  for  a  county  chairman  or  other 
37 


name  for  political  head  he  shall  fill  that  po- 
sition. He  shall  also  be  the  treasurer  of 
the  funds,  and  shall  give  such  bonds  as  are 
determined  by  the  county  organization,  to 
be  deposited  with  the  State  Secretary,  as 
soon  as  executed  and  approved. 

Sec.  3.  In  counties  where  there  are  more 
than  one  State  Committeeman,  the  organi- 
zations shall  by  ballot  referendum  sent  from 
State  office  select  who  shall  be  county  sec- 
retary. 

Sec.  4.  The  State  Committee  shall  trans- 
act all  its  business  by  correspondence  and 
decide  any  question  by  referendum,  except 
when  a  party  membership  referendum  shall 
call  on  the  Committee  to  meet. 

Sec.  5.  All  acts  of  the  Secretary  and 
Executive  Committee,  unless  otherwise  es- 
pecially provided  in  this  constitution,  shall 
be  subject  to  the  action  of  this  body;  and 
all  its  acts  shall  be  subject  to  revision  and 
reversion  of  the  State  convention  and  the 
.  party  membership. 

Sec.  6.  Unless  there  is  some  motion  in- 
itiated or  criticism  made  within  15  days 
from  the  time  the  report  is  sent  from 
the  Secretary's  office  the  acts  reported 
shall  be  taken  as  having  been  approved  of. 
And  all  who  fail  to  report  within  15  days 
on  any  acts  of  the  Executive  Committee, 
shall  be  deemed  to  have  resigned  and  the 
Executive  Committee  may  appoint  tempo- 
rarily to  fill  vacancy.  Then  the  Secretary 
shall  notify  the  county  to  elect,  and  the 
person  deposed  shall  not  be  eligible  to  re- 
election. 

Sec.  7.  The  members  of  the  State  Com- 
mittee shall  submit  their  motions  through 
the  Secretary. 

Sec.   8.     The   State  Committee   shall   vote 

on  any  motion  within  15  days  from  the  time 

it  has  been  mailed  from  the  State  office,  and 

a  motion  on  which  a  majority  of  the  Com- 

38 


mittee  does  not  vote  shall  be  declared  lost. 
Sec.  9.  It  shall  select  and  designate  one 
of  its  members  as  chairman  of  the  Commit- 
tee to  whom  communications  on  Party  af- 
fairs may  be  sent  when  necessary. 

ARTICLE  XXII. 

Order  of   Business  and   Rules  of  Order. 
Section  1.     In  all  regular  meetings  of  Lo- 
cals and  Branches  the  order  shall  be: 
1 — Call  to  order. 
2 — Election   of  chairman. 
3 — Reading  of  minutes. 
4 — Reports  on  applications  and  admissions. 
5 — New  applications  and  disposition. 
6 — Communications. 
7— Bills. 

8 — Reports  of  special  committees. 
9 — Reports  of  standing  committees. 
10 — Reports  of  officials  and  delegates. 
11 — Unfinished  business. 
12 — New  business. 
13 — Good  and  welfare. 

14 — Reports   of  receipts  and  disbursements. 
15 — Adjournment. 

Sec.  2.  Under  the  order  of  Good  and  Wel- 
fare no  motion  shall  be  entertained  except 
to  suspend  the  rules  for  some  specific  pur- 
pose. This  must  have  two-thirds  vote  and 
not  debatable. 

Sec.  3.  For  all  deliberative  meetings 
properly  called,  ten  per  cent,  of  the  mem- 
bers in  good  standing,  but  not  less  than 
three,  shall  be  a  quorum  in  any  organiza- 
tion, except  committee  meetings. 

Sec.  4.  The  ayes  and  nays  on  any  ques- 
tion may  be  demanded  by  one-third  of  the 
members  present,  by  counting. 

Sec.    5.      A    call    of   the    membership    for 
either  the   present  or  a  future  stated  time 
may    be    ordered    by    a    majority    of    those 
present,  even  if  there  is  not  a  quorum. 
Sec.  6.     A  majority  vote  shall  decide  all 
39 


questions  except  to  suspend  regular  estab- 
lished rules,  which,  shall  require  a  two-thirds 
vote. 

Sec.  7.  Any  organization  may  adopt  rules 
of  order  and  order  of  business,  different 
from  these,  but  such  rules  must  be  definite- 
ly recorded  in  the  regular  minutes  of  the 
organization,  to  be  valid. 

Sec.  8.  No  rules  provided  for  in  this  ar- 
ticle, nor  any  rules  adopted  by  any  organi- 
zation shall  change  or  interfere  with  the 
rules  of  judicial  proceedings  in  Article 
XVIII. 

Sec.  9.  Roberts'  Rules  of  Order  shall  be 
the  authority  in  all  deliberative  and  busi- 
ness meetings,  except  when  otherwise 
adopted  in  this  constitution  or  adopted  by 
some  organization. 

ARTICLE   XXIII. 
Amendments  and  Adoption. 

Sec.  1.  An  amendment  to  this  constitu- 
tion can  be  submitted  acording  to  Sees.  2, 
3  and  9  of  Article  V. 

Sec.  2.  This  constitution  shall  take  ef- 
fect and  be  in  force  on  the  first  of  the  fol- 
lowing month  after  adoption. 

Sec.  3. — It  repeals  and  annuls  any  former 
constitution. 


40 


Index  to  State  Constitution 


Authority. 

Constitution  and  Platform,  III,  1. 

Vested  in,  IV,  2. 

Membership  Supreme,  V,  1. 

State  Executive  Committee,  XX,  5. 

County  Central  Committee,  IX,  9,  10. 

Local  Executive  Committee,  XI,  4. 

APPEALS. 

By  Executive  and  State  Committees,  V,  3. 

Time  Limit  of,  V,  9. 

To  Executive  or  State  Committee,  V,  15. 

On  Recall,  XVII,  6. 

On  Verdict  for  Offense,  XVIII,  11,  12,  13. 
APPOINTMENTS. 

Of  State  Organizer,  XIII,  18. 

Of  Executive  Committee  Members,  XX,  7. 

Of  State  Committee  Members,  XXI,  6. 
AMENDMENTS. 

To  State  Constitution,  XXIII,  1. 

To  Referendums,  V,  9,  10. 
ACCEPTANCES. 

Party  and  Political  Candidates,  XIV,  17; 

XIII,  5. 
APPLICATIONS. 

Charter  for  Locals  and  Branches,  VIII,  2. 

For  Membership,  VI,  1,  2,  3. 
ASSESSMENTS. 

By  County  or  City,  VIII,  23. 
BONDS. 

State  Secretary,  XIX,  10,  11. 

County  Treasurer,  XXI,  2. 
BY-LAWS. 

Ill,  1,  2;  VIII,  7;  IX,  5;  XI,  8. 
BALLOT. 

Political,  I,  2. 

How  Used  and  Kept,  V,  21,  28. 

Must  Be  Used,  VIII,  19;   IX,  8, 

Second,  XIII,  9. 

41 


BRANCHES. 

Definition,  VIII,  5. 

Name  of  VIII,  6,  20. 

Jurisdiction  of,  VIII,  7. 

Officials  of,  VIII,  8,  9. 

Reinstatement  of,  VIII,  27. 

Forfeiture  of  Charter,  VIII,  27. 

Must  Report,  VIII,  28. 

Under  Central  Organization,  IX,  3. 
CHARTERS. 

Granting  of,  XX,  11. 

Central  Organization,  IX,   1. 

Locals  and  Branches,  VIII,  2. 
COMPLAINTS. 

Before  Central  Organization,  IX,  10. 

CHARGES. 

Against   Organization   by  Executive   Com- 
mittee, XVI,  2. 
CONVENTIONS. 

Arrangement  for,  IX,  10. 

Representation  in  State,  XIV,  3. 

Choice  of  Nominees,  XIV,  10. 
CANDIDATES. 

Party  Positions,  XIII,  5,  10,  11. 

Ineligibility,    XIII,    12,    13,    14,    16;     XIV, 
20,  21. 

Notice  to,  XIII,  17. 

Political,  XIV. 

Qualifications,  XIV,  15. 

Ineligibility,  XIV,  9,  12. 
COMMITTEES. 

General  State,  XXI. 

County,  IX,  14,  15. 

City,  X,  4. 

City  and  County,  X,  6. 

Ward,  X,  5. 

(Executive) 

General  State,  XX. 

County,  XI,  6,  7. 

City,  XI,  10,  11. 

City  and  County,  XI,  12. 

Local  and  Branch,  V,  1,  2;  XI,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5. 
42 


County  Central  IX,  1,  4. 
(Political),   IV;    IX,   10;    XII;    XIV,   1,    2; 
XX,  11. 

County,  XI,   7. 

CHAIRMAN. 
State  XIX,  1. 

Of  Executive  Committee,  XIX,  2;  XX,  6. 
Of  State  Committee,  XXXI,  9. 
County  XXXI,  2;   IX,  6. 
Local  Meeting,  VIII,  9. 

CANVASSING  BOARD. 

State,   V,  26,   30. 

Local  and  Branch,  V,  22,  23,  24. 

Central  Committee,  V,  27,  29. 
DUES. 

Locals  and  Branches,  VIII,  23. 

Time  Limit,  VIII,  24,  25. 

Members,  VI,  1,  5,  7;  VII,  1;  VIII,  23. 

Members  Unable  To  Pay,  VI,  10. 

Refund  to  County  Secretary,  IX,  11. 

Refund  to  City  Organization,  X,  3. 

DELEGATES. 

National  and  International,  XIII,  11. 
Central  Committee,  IX,  4,  8,  13. 
Political,  XIV,  3,  4,  5,  15. 
Political  Ineligibility,  XIV,  6,  13. 

DEPOSITION. 

Party  Officials,  XIII,.  15;  XIV,  14;  XVII,  3. 

ELECTIONS. 

Locals  and  Branches,  VIII,  17,  18,  19. 

Central  Delegates,  IX,  8. 

State,  XIII. 

Nominees  Second  Ballot,  XIII,  9. 

Executive  Committee,  XX,  2. 

Political,  XIV. 

EXPULSION. 

For  Withholding  Nomination,  XIV,  11. 
For  Advocating  Own  Candidacy,  XIV,  12. 
For  Refusing  Recall,  XVII,  4. 
How  Verdict  Is  Rendered,  XVIII,   10,   11. 
43 


FUSION. 

By  Organization,  XIV,  7. 

By  Candidate,  XIV,  20. 
GOOD  STANDING. 

Organizations,  When  Not  in,  VIII,  28. 
HEADQUARTERS. 

State,  II. 

County  Central  Committee,  IX,  2. 
JUDICIAL  PROCEDURE. 

Individual  Offenses,  XVIII. 
JURISDICTION. 

Branch  and  Local,  VIII,  7. 
LITERATURE  AGENT. 

VIII,  9,  16. 
MANAGEMENT. 

Where  Vested  in  State,  IV,  2. 
MAJORITY. 

On  Any  Referendum,  V,  17. 

On  Central  Delegates,  IX,  13. 

On  Elections,  XIII,  8. 

On  State  Committee  Motions,  XXI,  8. 

Local  Meetings,  XXII,  6. 
MEETINGS. 

Locals  and  Branches,  VIII,  10. 

When  and  Where,  VIII,  11. 

Special,  V,  12;  XI,  2. 

Central  Committee,  IX,  7. 

Membership,  IX,  7. 
MEMBERSHIP  AT  LARGE. 

All  of  VII. 
MEMBERSHIP   CARD. 

VI,  6;  VIII,  22. 
MEMBERSHIP. 

Qualifications  for,  VI,  1,  4. 

Foreign-Speaking,  IX,  2. 

Objections,  VI,  11,  12,  16. 

When  Dropped,  VI,  8. 

Reinstatement,  VI,  9. 

Qualification  To  Vote,  V,  18,  20;  VI,  i 

When  Not  Qualified  To  Vote,  V,  19. 
NOMINATIONS. 

Local  Officials,  VIII,  19. 

44 


Central     Committee     Shall    Provide    for, 
IX,  10. 

County    Executive    Committee    Shall   Pro- 
vide for,  XI,  7. 

For  Party  State  Officials,  XIII,  3,  4,  5,  6, 17 

Of  Executive  Committee,  XX,  2. 

Political,  XIV,  9,  17. 

Political  Committee,  XII,  3. 
OFFICIALS. 

Qualifications  for  Party,  XIII,  11,  12,   13, 
14,  15,  16. 

Local  and  Branch,  VIII,  8,  9,  17,  18,  19. 

Central  Committee,  IX,  6. 

State,  XIII,  3. 
ORGANIZATIONS. 

Units  of,  IV,  1. 

Members  at  Large,  VII,  2. 

State,  IV. 

County,  IX. 

City,  X;  XI,  10,  11,  12. 

Central,  IX;   X. 

City  and  County,  X,  6. 

Local — Territory  and  Name,  VIII,  3,  4. 
ORGANIZER. 

State,  XIII,  18. 

County,  IX,   6. 

City,  X,  1. 

Local,  VIII,  9,  12. 
OFFENSES. 

Of  Members,  XIII,  16;  XV. 

Of  Organizations,  XVI. 
PLATFORMS   AND  PROGRAMS. 

State,  XIV,  16;  III;  XX,  12. 
POLITICAL   PARTIES. 

VI,  13;  XIV,  8. 

Positions,  VI,  12,  14,  15;  XIV,  12. 
QUORUMS. 

Local  and  Branch,  XXII,  3. 

Local  Executive  Committee,  XI,  1. 

Central  Delegates,  IX,  13. 

State  Executive  Committee,  XX,  3. 
QUESTIONS. 

To  Executive  Committee,  V,  15. 

45 


Central  Committee  Member  May  Submit, 

IX,  12. 
RULES  AND  PROCEDURE. 

State  Executive   Committee,  XX,  8. 

State  Conventions,  XX    12. 

Trials,  XVIII. 

Rules   of   Order,   XXII. 
REINSTATEMENT. 

Of  Organizations,  VIII,  27. 
RESIGNATIONS. 

Political,  XIV,  18,  19. 

Executive  Committee  Member,  XX,  7. 

State  Committee  Member,  XXI,  6. 
REPORTS. 

Local  Organizations,  VIII,  28. 

Central  Committee  Secretary,  IX,  10. 

State  Committee  Members,  XXI,  6. 
REFERENDUMS. 

Initiation  by  Organization,  V,  2. 

Initiation  by   Executive   Committee,  V,   3. 

Initiation  by  State  Committee,  V,  3. 

Who  Shall  Submit,  V,  7. 

Amendments  on    V,  9,  10. 
'  Time  for,  V,  13.' 

Seconds  to,  V,  8,  15,  16. 

Majority  on,  V,  17. 

Results  Published,  V,  14. 

Returns  on,  V,  5,  24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  29,  30. 

By  Ballot,  V,  21. 

For  Party  Positions,  XIII,  7,  8. 

Platform  and  Program;  XIV,  16. 

Central  Committee  Member  May   Submit, 
IX,  12. 

For  Political   Candidates,   XIV,  10. 

Of  Executive  Committee,  XX,  10,  15. 

Of  State  Committee,  XXI,  7,  8. 
REVERSION. 

V,  1. 

County  committee  to  Central  Committee, 

IX    9 
REVOCATION. 

For  Fusion,  XIV,  7,  11,  all  of  XVI. 

On  Refusing  Recall,  XVII,  4. 
46 


RECALL. 

Of  Party  Officials,  V,  1;   XIV,  14,  and  all 
of  XVII. 

Notice  To  Be  Given,  XVII,  5. 
SUSPENSION. 

Of  Members,  VI,  7,  8,  9. 

Immediate,  XV,  2. 

By  Executive  Committee,  XVII,  1;  XX,  13. 

Of  Organizations,  VIII,  26,  28,  all  of  XVI. 

Of  State  Secretary,  XIX,  9. 

Of  Executive  Committee,  XX,  14. 

Notice  To  Be   Sent,  XIX,  6. 
SUPREME  AUTHORITY  AND  LAW. 

Ill,  1;   V,  1. 
SECRETARY. 

State,  XIX. 

County,  XXI,  3. 

Central,  IX,  6. 

County  Executive  Committee,  XI,  9. 

Recording,  VIII,  9,   13. 

Financial,  V,  12,  28;   VIII,  9,  14. 
TREASURER. 

State,  XIX,   1. 

County,  XXI,  2. 

Central  Committee,  IX,  6. 

Local  and  Branch,  VIII,  9,  15. 
TRANSFERS. 

Of  Members,  VI,  2,  3. 

TRIALS 

Procedure,  all  of  XVIII. 
VACANCIES. 

Election  to  Fill,  XIII,  9. 

Political  Candidates,  XIV,  20. 

Executive   Committee,  XX,  3. 
WITHDRAWAL. 

From  Party,  VI,  16. 
WOMEN'S    CLUBS. 

How  Conducted,  VIII,  29. 


47 


